Hennessey HPE700 upgrade for the McLaren MP4-12C

You and I may not comprehend, but there are some who will find their McLaren MP4-12C, which has 625 PS from its 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine, inadequate. Such people exist, because Texas-based tuner Hennessey Performance Engineering has come up with an upgrade package for the British supercar that takes performance to another level.

The HPE700 upgrade for the MP4-12C includes an engine management software upgrade (on top of the factory ECU), intercooler heat exchanger cooling upgrade, dual air induction filters and an improved stainless steel exhaust system.

Doesn’t sound like much, but from those few measures, Hennessey has managed to extract 704 horsepower from the M838T V8, while torque jumps from 600 to 730 Nm at 5,800 rpm. Something has to give, surely, and if you need to ask how much poorer fuel consumption is as a result, this potent drink is not for you.

The tuner quotes a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 2.8 seconds, compared to the official 0-100 km/h time of 3.1 seconds. The all-important American quarter mile benchmark is completed in 10.3 seconds, which is good, but not quite the ten-second car that Dominic Toretto requires.

Engine internals aside, changes are limited to serial-numbered dash and engine plaques, HPE700 exterior badging and a Hennessey logo at the back – a good thing because the McLaren is pretty enought without make-up. The company offers a one-year/12,000 mile (19,312 km) limited warranty.

If you haven’t already heard, McLaren is setting up shop in KL, and has already previewed the 12C Coupe and 12C Spider duo to the media. Brought in by Sime Darby, the British duo is anticipated to be priced between RM2.1 to 2.4 million. Click here for the full story and gallery.

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

In any case, 10.3 in the quarter is damn bloody quick already – for a roadable street legal car. And one with a warranty.

I once piloted a 10.2s 700hp (+100hp Nox shot) Rx7 with slicks down the traction compound coated strip, and the rear end was already all over the place all through the 1/8 marker. The car itself has a best of 9.67 but I being a novice at the wheel, can’t break into the 9s. The trap speed of 158mph (253km/h) is equally scary.

And no, that car isn’t streetable…. which just shows just what sort of achievement these modern supercars really are.

My regular daily driven eclipse does 13.5 and even then isn’t anywhere close to prepare you for a 10.2s run. It scares the crap out of you.

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